History in Brief

The founder of Gestalt therapy, Frederick (Fritz) Perls was born and educated in Germany, where he worked together with e.g. Sigmund Freud. Perls, a graduated psychiatrist, criticized psychoanalysis for its authoritarian approach and excess intellectualisation, as well as the position of the client as an object; the therapist knows better and is analysing the client instead of meeting them.

Eventually, Perls and Freud went their separate ways. Together with his wife Laura, Perls experimented, questioned and developed techniques, and applied existing theories to those of his own. Paul Goodman played a significant role in assembling Perls’ thoughts and theories into presentations. Gestalt therapy was born. It is greatly influenced by Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, psychodrama, Reichian bodywork, phenomenology and Eastern philosophies. Art therapy and dreamwork are also parts of Gestalt methodology.